We went to our grandson’s kindergarten’s Grandparents Day this morning. Delightful. Wish there could be more of it.
When we were young parents the richness of these environments wasn’t there – certainly not anywhere I found it as a parent. Our playgroup met in a hall once a week and had a box of toys stored in a cupboard. It was all pretty grotty. We approached the council about trying to get somewhere more permanent and got derided. Childcare centres were almost non-existent.
And when we were children there was a kindy in an old hall. Can’t remember any toys but I can remember the kindy teacher getting us to pick pig-face to rub on her corns which she reckoned helped them.
The thing that stands out now is the quality of care and socialisation the children get in such a richly stimulating environment. I feel we missed out on this and in a way don’t know ‘the rules’. The parents coming through now taking their kids to kindy mostly had the experience themselves in kindy or childcare when they were little. It is a whole cultural socialisation.
Could be valuable for grandparents who never had it to get some help with bridging the gap to this new world which has so much to offer children.
Would love to get to know more grandparents locally from the angle of grandparenting.